Anabasis

Page: 26

(2) 10 A.M.
(3) So the best MSS. Others read "Xenophon," which Kruger maintains to
be the true reading. He suggests that "Theopompus" may have crept
into the text from a marginal note of a scholiast, "Theopompus"
(the historian) "gives the remark to Proxenus."

Just then Clearchus returned, and wished to know what answer they had
given. The words were barely out of his mouth before Phalinus
interrupting, answered: "As for your friends here, one says one thing and
one another; will you please give us your opinion"; and he replied: "The
sight of you, Phalinus, caused me much pleasure; and not only me, but all
of us, I feel sure; for you are a Hellene even as we are—every one
of us whom you see before you. In our present plight we would like to take
you into our counsel as to what we had better do touching your proposals.
I beg you then solemnly, in the sight of heaven—do you tender us
such advice as you shall deem best and worthiest, and such as shall bring
you honour of after time, when it will be said of you how once on a time
Phalinus was sent by the great king to bid certain Hellenes yield up their
arms, and when they had taken him into their counsel, he gave them such
and such advice. You know that whatever advice you do give us cannot fail
to be reported in Hellas."

Clearchus threw out these leading remarks in hopes that this man, who was
the ambassador from the king, might himself be led to advise them not to
give up their arms, in which case the Hellenes would be still more
sanguine and hopeful. But, contrary to his expectation, Phalinus turned
round and said: "I say that if you have one chance, one hope in ten
thousand to wage a war with the king successfully, do not give up your
arms. That is my advice. If, however, you have no chance of escape without
the king's consent, then I say save yourselves in the only way you can."
And Clearchus answered: "So, then, that is your deliberate view? Well,
this is our answer, take it back. We conceive that in either case, whether
we are expected to be friends with the king, we shall be worth more as
friends if we keep our arms than if we yield them to another; or whether
we are to go to war, we shall fight better with them than without." And
Phalinus said: "That answer we will repeat; but the king bade me tell you
this besides, 'Whilst you remain here there is truce; but one step forward
or one step back, the truce ends; there is war.' Will you then please
inform us as to that point also? Are you minded to stop and keep truce, or
is there to be war? What answer shall I take from you?" And Clearchus
replied: "Pray answer that we hold precisely the same views on this point
as the king."—"How say you the same views?" asked Phalinus.
Clearchus made answer: "As long as we stay here there is truce, but a step
forward or a step backward, the truce ends; there is war." The other again
asked: "Peace or war, what answer shall I make?" Clearchus returned answer
once again in the same words: "Truce if we stop, but if we move forwards
or backwards war." But what he was minded really to do, that he refused to
make further manifest.